This is a proper thriller, that keeps you guessing and reading…needing to know what happens next. It’s the kind of book that makes you wonder what you would do if you were in the same situation as Abbie. I found myself questioning what Abbie was doing, thinking if only she told someone, or asked for help…surely there was a better way…but maybe not? No matter if you’re in agreement with Abbie and her choices, or like me begging her to let someone in and help…you will be with Abbie all the way, and like Abbie, will always have hope.

The book is told in Abbie's perpective. And I think, she is not a reliable narrator that made me question her sanity at one point. Maybe it was just all in her head? She is infuriating most of the time. But I empathize for her. She's willing to do anything for her daughter.

The story was told in alternating Before, After, and Now chapters. This is how the author unravels what happened to Abbie at certain points of her life. We got introduced to most of the characters at the start, but we only get to know the relationship they had with the MC along the way, which keeps the suspense.

The reveal of what happened to Sarah was not really a shocker. It was a let down. And I think it dragged on for a couple of chapters. Not everything got resolved, and still many questions unanswered.

Honestly, it's a bit challenging to get into this book. I find myself skipping quite a few paragraphs to get to the end and know what happened.

Gripping and a brilliant binge read.
Six year old Sarah disappears from her Mum - Abbey at the market and we follow the 6 years after she vanishes. Split between before and after - what is of significance, what is not. Abbey is infuriating, but for me unlike others very likeable. A tense thriller full of delusion and parental distress.
A must read that I was fortunate to read a pre-release copy.

Another brilliant Australian psychological thriller author. Impossible to put down and read in two sittings. The novel is unnerving, chilling and soul shaking … it takes you on a breathtaking journey that stays with you well after reading. The twists and turn are beautifully scripted and lead to a stunning ending. Waiting for the next journey with this very talented author. Five star read and highly recommended.

Psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Twists and turns that make you think.
The exploration of the mother/daughter relationship.
A missing daughter.
It’s that simple. It’s that good.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

A 5 year old girl Sarah is lost in a Sunday market. Her mother Abbey tries to find her to no avail she does not know if she is alive or dead. 6 years later on Abbey’s wedding day a subtle clue appears which is set to rock Abbey’s new marriage and upend her new life . So begins a cat and mouse game with a stranger , if Abbey abides by his rules and do exactly what he says then he promises that all will be revealed about her missing daughter.

In the process Abbey becomes estranged from her new husband and step children , is forced on a journey to try and find her daughter. Her fraught relationship with her mother becomes even worse and even Abbey’s sister becomes estranged.

The beginning of this book held promise written in the sometimes torrid “before “and after “chapters”. Of Abbey’s life. However as the forced journey to find her daughter comes to fruition and she meets the man responsible it all becomes rather farfetched and much too complicated and over long. There are also many unanswered questions left unsaid. 3 stars

I’m finding this a difficult book to review and rate because the main character, Abbie is forced into becoming a very unlikeable person and I found it quite unpleasant to read about.

Single mother Abbie’s daughter Sarah disappeared at an outdoor market when she was six and Abbie has spent the last six years looking for her and hoping to find out what happened to her. Eventually after six years Abbie has remarried a lovely man, a divorcee with two children who love and accept her (she even gets on well with his ex-wife). Then she is contacted by a man who can tell Abbie what happened to Sarah as long as Abbie follows his instructions to the letter.

The novel is told in three time lines – before and after Sarah’s disappearance and now. In the before thread, we learn about Abbie’s dysfunctional relationship with her cold, judgemental mother, her own wilfulness and lack of self-esteem that eventually led to her becoming a single mother and then her own difficulties mothering a wilful child. In the current day thread we watch as Abbie struggles with what is being asked of her by the unknown man and how far she will go to find out about her missing child. Although, the manipulation was cleverly done, it seemed to go on for too long and made for uncomfortable reading such that I found myself skimming through those parts quickly to get to the last thirty percent of the novel where events started to unfold. With her paranoia, insecurity, Abbie is a difficult character to like but I could feel for her ongoing guilt and grief at losing her child and her need to know what happened to Sarah, which drove her to accept the gaslighting and coercion from an unknown man. It is however an interesting and original story and one that had me questioning what I would do in the same circumstances.

The premise of this book held so much promise, I just wish the main character Abbie was a little more likeable! Her "issues" and paranoia seemed only surface deep and I really struggled with her random decisions. The story so nearly gets there in the portrayal of her guilt but it just all seemed a bit contrived.

I did enjoy the Before, After and Now timelines and the single point of view and I thought the question "how far would you go to find out what happened to your child" was an intersting one and cleverly crafted but overall it just didn't quite get there for me. A solid read and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try! Thanks Netgalley for ARC in exhchange for the review.

I am having serious difficulty writing a review of After You Were Gone by Vicki Wakefield. There were parts of the story that certainly had me intrigued especially nearing the end. However, I found it hard to become involved in the story when the main character, Abbie, was so very annoying. I didn’t like her and in fact found her very irritating. The story itself had quite a bit of merit, albeit a very distressing situation when a 6 year old girl, Sarah, goes missing. Unfortunately I found it a difficult read and stopped half way, left it for a few weeks and then came back and finished reading it. My return was more positive as the story as that stage actually moved more smoothly and was less irritating. I’m glad I finished reading it but when I got to the end there was then a feeling that it was incomplete - what happened next?

With the current ending I still felt that the story and characters were irritating and some parts were probably unbelievable.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from Text Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The distress and emotional trauma over the sudden disappearance of a little girl is played out here in Vikki Wakefield’s debut adult thriller. It’s a nightmare scenario that immediately invites you to put yourself into the shoes of Abbie.

It all started with a trip to the local produce markets that 6 year old Sarah didn’t want to go to but her mother, Abbie, insisted. And then, the fateful moment:

“Sarah tugged at my arm. ‘I want to go home now.’
‘Then you’d better start walking.’ I said it without thinking, and picked up a spiky fruit…After choosing six rambutan and two jackfruit, I unfolded a canvas shopping bag and carefully placed the fruit inside. When I turned to speak to Sarah, she was gone.”

This is a story that is told as both a present day narrative and a return to the past. This style ensures we gain a complete understanding of Abbie’s thought processes and what motivates her in her decision making process.

What we discover is that Abbie’s mother is an overbearing opinionated and critical woman. She never misses an opportunity to point out Abbie’s mistakes, making her life a misery. It eventually drives her out of the family home and into a share arrangement with her best friend.

This constant chipping away at her self-esteem accounts for the actions she takes (and also the ones she doesn’t take) later after Sarah goes missing.

Fast forward six years from Sarah’s disappearance and it’s Abbie’s wedding day. Soon after, she receives a phone call from a man who suggests he knows where Sarah is. After all this time she can barely dare to believe that Sarah may still be alive.

From this moment we witness a slow disintegration of Abbie as she is manipulated by the unknown caller. She estranges herself from her new husband and his children, she becomes a virtual recluse and begins to act in an unhinged manner. Her motivation? The chance to be reunited with the daughter she thought she’d lost forever.

For the majority of this book we are left to wonder what’s going on and can it be true? Is Abbie risking her marriage and sanity based on a forlorn hope? Is she doing the right thing by telling absolutely no-one about the mysterious caller?

My impatience with Abbie’s unwillingness to involve anyone else was tempered somewhat by the realisation that there was one purpose at the forefront of her mind. She lost her daughter once and didn’t want to risk losing her for a second time. She was going to do nothing to jeopardise that possibility from happening and she had to be admired for her singularity of purpose.

It must be stressed, there is a very good reason for the to-ing and fro-ing between the present and the past, so it is important that you pay attention to what you’re reading.

The plotting became rather clumsy towards the end with a number of scenarios that challenged the realms of belief a little too much. Suffice to say, I wasn’t altogether satisfied with the way things were left, but then, that’s often the way things work out in real life too, I suppose.

Ultimately I found When You Were Gone to be an engrossing read. It was fast-paced and well structured with the ever-present mystery over who the caller might be and what their motivations are driving us forward.

I tried so hard to get into this book but in the end I had to skip through the pages just to find out what happened in the end. It was a book in two parts, Before and After or Now.

The before was what happened throughout her life to lead up the becoming pregnant and having a little girl and then having the little girl snatched from her. The after or now is since the child (Sarah) was taken and the not knowing what really happened to her.

My problem with this book was that although I know the story needs to be set up it just seemed to drag on, the story just had too much detail and it was just a bit unbelievable to me. I just couldn't get right into it, I found it long-winded and it just didn't keep me enthralled. I almost feel I wasted time reading this one but It persevered and got it done (albeit I did skip a few pages along the way!